Transcendental Meditation

[dhamma_newb]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone here has done Transcendental Meditation (TM) and if there are any similar meditations in the Buddhist / Theravada tradition. I wanted to know because I really enjoyed doing TM and would like to know what people who may have any experience with TM think about it in regards to Buddhist practice. My TM teachers said that because TM is not religion you can practice TM no matter what your religious background. What do you think about Buddhists practicing non-Buddhist forms of meditation? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

In Metta,
Don

[dhamma_newb]

Forgive me for posting in the wrong Section.

[tiltbillings]

This section is okay. TM is a Hindu form of mantra meditation, and it has no counterpart in classical Theravada.

[dhamma_newb]

Thanks tiltbillings. I wanted to know because I did experience moments of bliss during TM which built up my motivation to practice every day. I am starting to notice some moments where I experience similar states while practicing samatha and vipassana, although with TM it was much faster. I think it is so interesting that there are so many different types of meditation which lead to different results. I used to be one of those people with no meditation experience who thought that "meditation" was just one thing.

[tiltbillings]

Thanks tiltbillings. I wanted to know because I did experience moments of bliss during TM which built up my motivation to practice every day. I am starting to notice some moments where I experience similar states while practicing samatha and vipassana, although with TM it was much faster. I think it is so interesting that there are so many different types of meditation which lead to different results. I used to be one of those people with no meditation experience who thought that "meditation" was just one thing.

Bliss is just one thing of which to let go.

[cooran]

Hello all,

Mantra meditation is used widely in Theravada Buddhism. But, it is different from Transcendental meditation in that the Mantras in Theravada mean something.

Mantra in Theravadin Buddhism
http://www.wildmind.org/mantras/theravada-mantras

with metta
Chris

[dhamma_newb]

Bliss is just one thing of which to let go.

Yes tiltbillings. I must admit I am a bliss junkie.

[dhamma_newb]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the link very interesting stuff. Wildmind has some pretty good articles I've read in the past so this link is a great resource for me.

Metta,
Don

Hello all,

Mantra meditation is used widely in Theravada Buddhism. But, it is different from Transcendental meditation in that the Mantras in Theravada mean something.

Mantra in Theravadin Buddhism
http://www.wildmind.org/mantras/theravada-mantras

with metta
Chris

[tiltbillings]

Hello all,

Mantra meditation is used widely in Theravada Buddhism. But, it is different from Transcendental meditation in that the Mantras in Theravada mean something.

Mantra in Theravadin Buddhism
http://www.wildmind.org/mantras/theravada-mantras

with metta
Chris

Widely used may be an overstatement. and what is meant by mantra meditation within the mantra traditions is not what is meant by what is described in the link.

The mantras commonly used in TM are bija, seeds, mantras, which carry specific vibrations which has specific effects upon the practitioner, and let us not forget that Sanskrit is a sacred language and that the letters and words have sphota, a type of power that become manifest with its proper pronunciation.

When mantras are talked about within most Hindu traditions, it is a different animal than what is talked about in the Kornfeild link.

[cooran]

Thanks tilt!

Quite clearly many differences - but Theravada mantra may be a gentle way to start Buddhist meditation for one already familiar with the transcendental meditation.

with metta
Chris

[tiltbillings]

Thanks tilt!

Quite clearly many differences - but Theravada mantra may be a gentle way to start Buddhist meditation for one already familiar with the transcendental meditation.

with metta
Chris

Sure.

[mikenz66]

I practised TM for several years in the mid 70s. Looking back with my current experience, it seems to me that it was quite an effective concentration practice that I am sure had some beneficial effects then and now. Unfortunately, the surrounding ideas became increasingly odd (yogic flying, etc).

Strangely, after a number of years of Buddhist training, I find the mantras rather ineffective. They just don't "hook in" like they did in the old days. As I recall there was a kind of "blanking out" that occurred, and I ssuspect that the mindfulness I've developed prevents that from happening anymore.


Mike

[sattva]

Hi Don,
i took TM so long ago that I am racking my brain to think when it was ( am thinking the 70's). lol i do remember being bored with it, so maybe having a mantra would have never been the way to go for me.

I am a big believer in having a teacher you respect and trust to guide you in practice. So. i always recommend that as an important first step. Good luck!

[tiltbillings]

[dhamma_newb]

Thanks mikenz66 and sattva for your perspectives. I am taking a Mindfulness Course Online through Vipassana Hawai'i. I think it is an excellent resource for an introduction into Buddhist practice and best of all it's free. I also just started attending the sitting meditations they host at a local Buddhist temple here in Hawai'i. They are a great bunch of people and I feel lucky to have come across them. I learned much during the Dhamma talk I attended.

@tilt - Never saw that vid before but lmao'd while watching it. Yes i thought the whole yogic flying thing was out there and I'm glad that I didn't pay for any more courses than the first one.

[Ashok]

According to the TM folks, there are 3,000 Bhuddists from 10 monasteries in Thailand that practice TM.http://www.tm.org/blog/meditation/buddhist-monks/ So it doesn't seem to be any conflict for the traditional Bhuddist monks. I wonder if they do TM and their traditional style of meditation as well. Does any one know?

[daverupa]

According to the TM folks, there are 3,000 Bhuddists from 10 monasteries in Thailand that practice TM.http://www.tm.org/blog/meditation/buddhist-monks/ So it doesn't seem to be any conflict for the traditional Bhuddist monks. I wonder if they do TM and their traditional style of meditation as well. Does any one know?

1500 in Thailand, 1550 in Sri Lanka (allegedly, as there doesn't seem to be any independent confirmation of Rev Koji Oshima's activites in Thai/Sri Lankan news outlets). Unsurprising, given their agenda:

"In recognition of these great achievements, Reverend Oshima was honoured with the degree of Doctor of World Peace Honoris Causa, the highest degree bestowed by Maharishi University of World Peace. The text of the diploma refers to the techniques that Lord Buddha taught to experience Nirvana, and recounts how, with the long lapse of time, these techniques were lost to the world, only now being restored through Reverend Oshima's programme of teaching Transcendental Meditation, which gives the experience of transcending to Buddhist monks. In accordance with Maharishi's wishes, the Diploma was presented by the Shankara, the most senior monk in Thailand."

source

[tiltbillings]

Hinduism strikes back.

[tiltbillings]

http://www.suggestibility.org/

[Spiny O'Norman]

Bliss is just one thing of which to let go.

Though a little bit if bliss is not a bad thing.

Spiny